The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector employed in connecting audio-visual devices with each other for optical communication.
Various optical fiber connectors have been proposed and in practical use. FIG. 18 shows a conventional plastic optical fiber connector 601 which is constituted by an optical cable 602, input and output plugs 603 and 604 installed respectively to input and output end portions 602a and 602b of the optical cable 602. The plastic optical fiber connector 601 is employed in connecting electronic devices 701 and 703 by inserting the input plug 603 into an input jack 702 of the electronic device 701 and by inserting the output plug 604 into an output jack 704 of the electronic device 703. As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the optical cable 602 is constituted by a single-fiber core 611 and a covering layer 612 which covers an outer periphery of the single-fiber core 611. The single-fiber core 611 is made of plastic and functions as a signal transmitting medium. An outer peripheral portion of the single-fiber core 611 is covered with a cladding 613. In other words, the cladding 613 is provided between the single-fiber core 611 and the covering layer 612. The covering layer 612 is made of plastic superior in durability so as to protect the single-fiber core 611 and the cladding 613. In order to connect the electronic devices 701 and 702 by means of the optical connector 601, the end portions of the optical cable 602 are set straight, and the plugs 603 and 604 are inserted to the jacks 702 and 704 of the input and output sides of the electronic devices 701 and 703, respectively.
However, the above-mentioned plastic optical fiber connector 601 has had the following problems. (1) Since an allowable bent radius R of the optical cable 602 is large (about 20 mm), it is difficult to use a so-called bent-type plug which is used by perpendicularly bending the input and output end portions of the optical cable 602. Therefore, it is necessary to use a straight-type plug when such an optical cable 602 is employed. (2) Even when the straight-type plug is used, the allowable bent radius R of the optical cable 602 is still large such as about 20 mm. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a relatively large arrangement space S as shown in FIG. 21 in order to ensure the allowable bent radius R for the optical cable connector 601. This restricts degree of freedom as to wiring of the optical cable 602.
The inventors of the present invention found that an allowable radius of an optical cable employing a multi-fiber core was smaller than an optical cable employing a single-fiber core. On the basis of the result, the present invention has been achieved so that the optical fiber connector according to the present invention solves the conventional problems by employing a multi-fiber core to the optical cable.
An aspect of the present invention resides in an optical fiber connector which comprises an optical cable employing a multi-fiber core constituted by a plurality of plastic fibers, and a pair of plugs installed to both end portions of the optical cable.
With this arrangement, it becomes possible to utilize the optical fiber connector in a condition that the optical cable is bent at a desired angle while decreasing its allowable bent radius at a smaller radius.